Stranding or rope laying machine and its control



'NOV- 943. .1. A. LA FRANCE ETAL 2,333,941

STRANDING OR ROPE LAYING MACHINE AND ITS CONTROL Filed April 29, 1942 2Sheets-Sheet 1 5: a CF. e m aw fi f v Nm QNM NM Nov. 9, 1 943.

J. A. LA FRANCE ET AL STRANDING OR ROPE LAYING MACHINE AND ITS CONTROLFiled April 29, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 i mm m me A M50 4 a S PatentedNov. 9, 1943 STRANDING OR ROPE LAYING MACHINE AND ITS CONTROL Joseph A.La France and Daniel D. Symmes, West Haven, Conn, assignors to TheAmerican Steel and Wire Company of New Jersey, a corporation of NewJersey Application April 29, 1942, Serial No. 441,012

3 Claims.

This invention relates to stranding or rope laying machines,particularly when such a machine is provided with the control disclosedand claimed in Patent #2308306, the principles of the invention beingapplicable to any machine functioning in the manner of the machinespecifically mentioned. The object leading to the invention covered bythat patent was to automatically stop a machine of the type involved,upon the breaking or slackening of the material with which the machineis working, while in the present instance the object is to determine atleast the approximate location of the spool feeding the material thathas either broken or slackened so as to cause the machine to stop.

A specific example of a horizontal, tubular, wire stranding or ropelaying machine embodying the principles of the invention isschematically illustrated in the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1, showing the opposite ends of the machine and a wiring diagram,the portions of the machine between these ends not being shown toconserve space;

Fig. ZA showing the powered end of the machine, including a portioneliminated from Fig. l for space conservation purpose; and

Fig. 2B showing the opposite end of the machine where the strand or ropeis formed.

More specifically referring to these drawings, the machine includes arotor I turned by an electric motor 2 and mounting a plurality of spoolsof wire 3 journaled in cradles 4 supported on trunnions 5, the spools 3remaining in vertical planes while the rotor I rotates. The spools 3carry wire W which feeds over sheaves 6 longitudinally of the machine toan annular series of final sheaves l circumferentially mounted insidethe rotor I in spaced relationship.

Upon leaving the sheave I the wires from the various spools mutuallyapproach a twister head 8 from which they go through a closing die 9 toa powered capstan It. This capstan I0 pulls the wires now in the form ofa strand of intertwisted wires, from the die 9, this tensioning thewires back to each of the various spools 3 feeding each wire, which arebraked in the usual manner. The motor 2 is electrically powered throughlines I I going to the usual drum controller, and the rotor I isprovided with a brake I2 of the type held released against springtension by a solenoid I3, this solenoid being energized by the lines II. Therefore, when the motor 2 is deenerized, the solenoid I3 is alsodeenergized, this causing application of the brake I2 and con sequentstopping of the rotor I'.

A magnetically tripped switch I4 is arranged with its contacts I5 incircuit with the line I I,

this switch having a solenoid I6' for effecting tripping and consequentopening of its contacts I5. When this occurs, the circuit through thelines II is interrupted so that the motor 2 is deenergized, this alsodeenergizing the brake solenoid I3 50 as to apply the brake I2 to stopthe rotor I.

Energization of the solenoid I5 of the switch I 4, is effected by acircuit controlled by. a low voltage relay I'I having contacts I8through which the solenoid I6 of the switch I4 is energized by lines Ilabranching from the lines II. The relay I! has a solenoid I9 for closingits contacts I8, and this solenoid is energized through lines 20 poweredby the low-voltage side of a transformer 2| having its high-voltage sidepowered by the lines II. One of the lines 20 is grounded tothe rotor I,as at 22, the other line connecting with a brush 23 working on acommutator 24 which turns with the rotor I, this commutator connectingwith an uninsulated wire 25 extending longitudinally inside the rotor I,this wire being insulated from the rotor and connecting with thecommutator so as to be env gaged by a loop of spring wire 26 having itsends fixed to the journals of one of the spools 3 through coils 21, thearrangement being such that the loop normally tends to fly upwardly soas to engage the wire 25 as it is revolved by turning of the rotor I.The loop 26 is restrained from this movement by reason of the wire Wfeeding over it under tension, but in case the wire breaks or becomesunduly slack, the loop springs outwardly so as to be contacted by thewire 25.

Each of the spools 3 is provided with one of these loops 26 in themanner disclosed and claimed in the identified patent, or with anyequivalent means capable of functioning as a switch upon breaking orslackening of the wire feeding from the spool, so as to close thecircuit through the lines 20. For reasons presently to be disclosed, thewire 25 does not extend the entire length of the rotor I, but is dividedinto a plurality of respectively insulated sections, the

I other sections being indicated at 25a and 251), the

present arrangement differing from that of the patent in this respect.

As described in the patent, closing of the circuit through the lines 20energizes the solenoid I9 of the relay I I so as to close the contactsI8 of this relay and energize the solenoid I6 of the switch I4, thecontacts I5 of this switch I4 then tripping open so as to break thecircuit to the motor 2 and the brake solenoid [3, the rotor I 7 thenimmediately stopping. Since the relay l1 and the circuit poweredsolenoid H! are powered by the transformer 2| fromthelines l I, theentire electric system also is deenergized.

As so far described, the arrangement is like that of the'pate'ntexcepting that'the wire 25 does not extendthe'length ofthe rotor in theform of a single length, it being insulatingly separated into thesections 25a and 25b, or any greater number of sections. Thisarrangements is pro vided so that each of the sections 25, 25a; 251);etc. may be provided with its own relay l1, Ila, llb, etc., and its owncommutator- 24-,1 2461., 241), etc., contacted individually bybru'sl'resfl"; 2325235,;- etc., each separately energizing"the'solenoidsl9;' l9a, l9b, etc. of an equal number of relays, lines20a, '2 0b, etc. completing the circuits for the various relays otherthan the relay] I.

With this new arrangement the rotor is stopped regardless of which spookis feeding :the: wire" that brcaksr or slackens, but this stopping iseffected byone -or another of 'the relays ll depending on. the"location'of the-spool; or groups of spools, feeding: the particular wireca'using: the-troublei An electric annunciator: 28 mi the: typeprovidings' separate electrically-controlled indicators '2 8; 2 9a; 29b,.etc; iscarranged with each of itscontrolling; solenoids in separatecircuit through lines 3| and 1 3|; 3m, 3lb, etc., with theseparate-operating solenoids" l9; [9a, [9b, etczyofthe'variou'srelay's'= ll; l'lajllb, etc. so that-one. or another of theindicators 29;. nmiilbg-etcf worksaccording to which :of theisolenoidslm I90), lib, etc. is'ener-H gized; this; in turn, depending. oniwhichone-oi the wires 25, 25a, 25b, etc. isrcontacted by 'the'oneof-the-spring loopszli that operates'due to break,-

. in or slackening of the" wire normally holding it'- at an inoperativeposition;- Y

Th'ewarrangement is such that 'the plurality of electrically: controlledindicators 29, 29a, 29b,etc-.- eachu'r'epresent one or:a-group1of' thespools -3; unrepresentedrbythe 'other in-dicators; andso that theplurality of electric circuitmakersand'break ers provided by the loops26* and the wires 25, i

or their equivalents; are-each in controlling cir+ cuit' with one' ofthe controlling solenoids of one because -modern stranding and ropelaying ma-' v chines are now being made of great lengths; this causingconfusion and delay as the operator searches the length of the rotor todetermine the spool feeding the wire in trouble. The rotor may be madeas a plurality of rotors arranged end to end, but since they turntogether and all feed to the same die, they may be considered as asingle rotor.

We claixn:

l. A stranding or rope laying machine having arplurality of spools eachfeeding tensioned material, a-plurality oif-electrically controlledindicators each representing at least one of the spools unrepresented bythe other indicators, and a plura-li-ty of electric circuit-makers andbreakers each irrcontrolling circuit with one of the indicators notin"circuit with the other circuit makers and breakers and" operated byslackening of the marenal fed" from .the 'spool represented by theindicator with which it is in controlling circuit,

2. A stranding or rope laying machine including thecombination of-a-rotor, an electric motor for turningsaidrotor, a brake forstoppingsaldl rotor, aplurality of spools mounted bysaid rotor eachfeedin'gematerial under tension; a-pluralityof electrically controlledrindicators each repre senting onezof said spools unrepresented by others1 ofsaid indicators; a-plurality of electric switches each-actuatedby-release of tension on saidmaterial fed from one; of "said spoolswhich doesnot actuate others of saidswitches upon said-release,"alplurality of electromagnetic'switches each haw ing anoperatingsolenoid and contacts; a plurality: of circuits eachpoweringone of said solenoids through one ofnsaid switches throughwhichsaid solenoid is not poweredbyothersof said circuits,

a solenoid foroperating said brake, a circuit controlling; the powering--of said motor and the last named solenoid through: allofsaidcontactsiand' electric circuitsveach controlling one of saidin dicatorsth'rough theycontacts of one of'said electromagnetic' switches whosesolenoid is powered by? one of the first namedi circuits throughthe-switch"? actuated by release of tension on the material ted fromthe'spool represented by. said oneofsaidindicators. V V

3. A stranding: or rope laying. machine" mounti Rig-.8; plurality of:spools each feedingsten'sioned material; aplurality of indicatorseachvrepresent inggat'least onset the "spools unrepresented bycthe'other-t indicators," and means -for. operatings-eaclr? JOSEPHIA. LADANIEL n.- SYMMEB;

